declare items

Meaning

To declare items means to officially state to customs officers that you are bringing specific goods, such as alcohol, tobacco, food, or large amounts of cash, into a country. This is a legal requirement to ensure compliance with import laws and taxes.

Examples

• Do I need to declare items like local honey and cheese when I land in Australia?

  Do I need to declare items like local honey and cheese when I land in Australia?

• Passengers who fail to declare items at customs may face heavy financial penalties.

  Passengers who fail to declare items at customs may face heavy financial penalties.

• You must declare items worth more than ten thousand dollars when entering the country.

  You must declare items worth more than ten thousand dollars when entering the country.

• The customs form asks travelers to declare items purchased abroad.

  The customs form asks travelers to declare items purchased abroad.

• If you are unsure whether you need to declare items, it is always safest to ask an officer.

  If you are unsure whether you need to declare items, it is always safest to ask an officer.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I need to say my items at customs.

  ✓ I need to declare items at customs.

  'Say' is too casual. The official legal and formal term used at borders and customs checkpoints is 'declare'.

• ✗ Did you clear your items to the officer?

  ✓ Did you declare your items to the officer?

  'Clear' refers to passing through customs (e.g., 'clear customs'), but the act of reporting goods is 'to declare items'.

Related Expressions

Practice

• All international passengers must ___ purchased abroad that exceed the duty-free limit.

  💡 Officially report goods to customs.

  Show answer

  declare items

• If you do not ___ at the border, they might confiscate them and fine you.

  💡 State what goods you are bringing into the country.

  Show answer

  declare items